1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a method of fabricating the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible display apparatus using a substrate planarized with a color filter, and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Demand for flat panel display apparatuses has driven significant research efforts in technologies such as LCDs (liquid crystal displays) and PDPs (plasma display panels). Between these, the LCDs have been a current focus, largely due to their suitability for mass production, relatively simple driving schemes, and high quality images.
The LCD typically includes a liquid crystal layer interposed between two transparent substrates. The LCD drives the liquid crystal layer to adjust light transmittance in each pixel, thereby displaying a desired image.
Further, although LCD technology is commonly applied in the context of flat panel displays, the technology is not limited to that context. In particular, LCD technology can be applied to flexible displays, a field that has recently seen increased demand.
Challenges arise when the liquid crystal display is manufactured using many common plastic substrates. The selection of a substrate is an important factor in processes such as thin film transistor processs, color filter processes, liquid crystal forming processs, and module processs. More specifically, the substrate must be properly selected based on both substrate characteristics and process conditions.
The thermal expansion coefficient and birefringence of the substrate are two factors to be considered when selecting the substrate. If the thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate is high, the substrate will excessively expand or contract during the fabrication process, so that process defects, such as misalignment of the substrates or bending of a carrier, may occur. If the birefringence is high, light leakage may occur during operation, thereby degrading display quality. However, a plastic substrate having a low thermal expansion coefficient and low birefringence has not yet been developed.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop substrates with a low thermal expansion coefficient and low birefringence. It is further desirable to develop a display apparatus using the above substrate and manufactured with fewer process steps.